ORANI, Bataan: Members of churches under the Born Again banner on Friday joined a motorcade in Bataan voicing strong opposition to the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Bill.
They joined the motorcade of Emy Lubag, opponent of incumbent Rep. Geraldine Roman as candidate for congressman in Bataan’s first district. Roman, a reelectionist, is one of the principal authors in congress of the SOGIE Bill.
Provincial Pastor William Balor of the Jesus Is Lord Church said they have no choice but to support Lubag this time after giving their support to Roman in the last election.
“Tumatanggi kami sa SOGIE Bill na ang aming ipinaglalaban ay ang moral issue at aming responsibilidad bilang mga pastor ang salita ng Diyos na nang nilikha Niya ang tao, babae at lalaki lamang,” he said. “If we will not speak now, when?”
“Nakita namin na kami ay nagkakasala sa Diyos ng treason which is pagtataksil at saka betrayal. Bini-betray namin ang Diyos sapagka’t ang kanyang salita na nilikha ang tao na babae at lalaki lamang,” Balor said.
“Hindi kami against sa LGBT community, ino-honor namin ang human rights. Nandito kami hindi sa kanila kundi yong SOGIE Bill na ito na apektado ang ating mga anak,” he said.
The pastor said that same sex marriage will confuse the children. “Makakalito sa mga bata sapagka’t ang kanilang lolo, lola na rin, ang kanilang lola, lola at ang mommy, mommy at ang daddy, daddy na rin,” he said.
“Hindi ito ang gusto ng Diyos. Ang gusto ng Diyos maayos na pamilya at yon ang aming ipinaglalaban, ang kinabukasan ng ating pamilya,” Balor said.
He said that the group of Born Again joined together to fight SOGIE Bill. Balor is president of the Bataan Association of Christian Churches.
Bishop Lito Pagulayan of the Bataan Full Gospel Church said there are 340 churches in Bataan under the Born Again banner.
He said that the bill is only for the Third Sex or the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community. “Kami na nagtuturo ng moral ay mapaparusahan kung magiging batas yon.”
Pagulayan said they have three fears on the bill – first, same sex marriage is the cause of 57 percent of recorded HIV/AIDS; second, the Bible has punishment like Sodom and Gomora and third, God does not like homosexuality.
“Tumatayo kami para sabihin na hindi kami pabor sa SOGIE Bill para sa health at para ang poot ng Diyos hindi dumating sa atin,” he said.
Catherine Agustin of the Orani Church Ministerial Association said one of the authors of the bill was their townmate in Orani town.
“Hindi kami galit sa kanya bilang tao kundi ang tinututulan namin ang batas na isinusulong niya,” she said.
Roman could not be reached for her comment.
